9.50 x 16.5 trailer tires

[FJfonda]

Time for new tires on the boat trailer ---- tandem axle with Goodyear Workhorse Rib 9. 50 x 16. 5 load range E bias ply tires. I've been looking for the exact replacement tires but they are hard to find, long lead time, and $170-$190 per tire. Cooper also has a similar tire for the same price as well as a radial version, same load rating, for $120-130 range. Any input on radial vs bias ply tires in this size?

 

[HBarlow]

Time for new tires on the boat trailer ---- tandem axle with Goodyear Workhorse Rib 9. 50 x 16. 5 load range E bias ply tires. I've been looking for the exact replacement tires but they are hard to find, long lead time, and $170-$190 per tire. Cooper also has a similar tire for the same price as well as a radial version, same load rating, for $120-130 range. Any input on radial vs bias ply tires in this size?

For towing frequently and long distances radials would be my first choice but for an occasional short tow to water either should be fine.



I have a Big Tex 70PI flat bed work trailer I bought in December '98 or early '99. It came with cheap, thin walled radials in a small size. I bought it to use for gutting and remodeling an old rent house and knew I was going to be making lots of trips to a landfill with nails and other hazards so I replaced the OEM tires ASAP with heavy old-fashioned bias ply 700-15 LRD tires purchased from a farm store. I have not pulled the trailer a lot of miles in almost ten years but the farm store tires are still on the trailer and still look good. I did make several highway trips with it hauling the restored '57 Chevy Sport Coupe I owned at the time and made one fast highway trip from West Texas to Phoenix, AZ with the trailer to transport a golf cart for a fee in the summer of 2003 and the bias ply farm store tires worked fine.

 

[FJfonda]

Harvey,

Thanks --- I do a fair amount of trailering, about 15K over 5 seasons. The goodyears were fine but the spring bushings wore out and in turn resulted in tire scrubbing.